A gate tower of Xi'an's ancient city wall floodlit at night

What changed in Xi'an.

The practical things that changed for travellers — visa rules, new stations, new museums — recorded by their real date, so you can see how Xi'an has opened up and grown.

China Travel Rule Changes: Live Tracker for Xi'an →

New attractionOctober 27, 2026

The Eight Oddities of Shaanxi, decoded

New theme: belt noodles, pot-lid bread, chili as a dish, one-sided roofs and four more folk verses — each oddity now has a full page with a full-screen hero and a real place to see it today, in all 27 languages.

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New attractionSeptember 30, 2026

Pit 2 reopens after full re-exhibition: ten units, two routes

The Terracotta Army's Pit 2 hall reopened on 1 October 2026 after a seven-month re-exhibition: ten narrative units and two visiting routes — a deep-dive north line and a quick south line.

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Terracotta warriors standing in the excavation pit, Xi'an

TransportJune 30, 2026

Xi'an East Station opens with the Xi'an–Shiyan high-speed line

On 30 June 2026, Xi'an East Station went into service as the Xi'an–Shiyan high-speed line opened — a new gateway to the south and a major new hub for the city.

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The sweeping ribbed roof of Xi'an Olympic Sports Center stadium

PolicyFebruary 17, 2026

China widens visa-free access — 50 countries, 240-hour transit at 65 ports

Through 2025 and into early 2026 China expanded both visa-free tracks: unilateral visa-free entry now covers 50 countries (valid to 31 Dec 2026), and 240-hour visa-free transit reaches 65 ports across 24 provinces. Xi'an's airport is a 240-hour transit port, so eligible travelers can visit visa-free for up to 10 days.

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New attractionJanuary 14, 2026

Pit 2 gives up a rare general — and two chariots

Excavation of the Terracotta Army's Pit 2 is delivering again: a rare high-ranking general figurine announced in December 2024, and two wheel-less ceremonial chariots from the 2025 season, revealed in January 2026. Work continues in view of visitors.

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InfrastructureFebruary 20, 2025

Xi'an airport's T5 terminal opens

On 20 February 2025, Terminal 5 of Xi'an Xianyang International Airport went into operation — the country's first airport terminal built around a garden, and a big change to how you arrive and depart.

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A bright platform on the Xi'an Metro behind glass safety doors

PolicyDecember 17, 2024

Transit visa waiver extended to 240 hours (10 days)

From 17 December 2024, the transit waiver jumped from 144 to 240 hours — 10 days — and Xi'an is fully in scope, making visa-free trips genuinely possible.

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PolicyDecember 1, 2023

China's unilateral visa waiver begins — 6 European countries first

From 1 December 2023, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia got visa-free entry to China for 15 days — the start of a wave that kept expanding through 2024 and 2025.

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New attractionApril 30, 2022

Changan Twelve Hours opens — an immersive Tang-dynasty block

On 30 April 2022, the indoor Tang-dynasty immersive theme block opened next to the Grand Tang Mall — the closest you can get to walking through eighth-century Chang'an.

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Visitor in hanfu at a Tang-style night street

New attractionApril 28, 2022

Shaanxi Archaeology Museum opens — China's first

On 28 April 2022, China's first museum dedicated to archaeology itself opened in Xi'an, showing not just what was found but how it was found.

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Tilted glass and stone volumes of the Shaanxi Archaeology Museum over its reflecting pool

TransportDecember 28, 2020

Metro Lines 5, 6 and 9 open — Xi'an jumps to seven lines

Three new metro lines launched the same day in December 2020, taking Xi'an's network to seven lines and, for the first time, reaching the Terracotta Army's doorstep.

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Recently fact-checked on the site

The guides, places and routes we have re-verified against official sources lately — freshest first.